In July 2002, Members of Parliament called upon the Government to give a clear commitment to community media in the forthcoming Communications Bill, recognising that community media projects have a vital contribution to make to neighbourhood renewal, encouraging citizen participation, local democracy and life-long learning.

The Government also plans to set up a single communications regulator, OFCOM, to support the growth and development of community media. OFCOM will replace the Radio Authority as of March 2004.

As a precursor to OFCOM and the development of community media, the Radio Authority launched an experiment into 'Access Radio'. This nation-wide pilot scheme involving 15 community radio stations will feed into proposals for the permanent arrangements which will follow.

A group of local people from Teesdale formed Teesdale Community Broadcasting to establish a community radio service under the title "Radio Teesdale" in preparation to apply for one of the newly available Community Radio Licences.

It is intended that the service will cover the whole of Teesdale, transmitting to upper and lower dales through traditional and new broadcasting methods including web-casting over the internet.